This section provides a general summary of background information and the comments and examples provided in this section are not necessarily prior art to the present disclosure.
Automation devices are increasingly employed in residential and commercial buildings and can include control of systems in the building such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, security, or lighting systems, for example. Such automation devices may also have the capability to interact with a mobile application executed by a mobile device (e.g., smart phone) to monitor and/or control devices within the building. The automation devices can also take into account the location of a user relative to or within the building to determine which settings or modes the automation devices utilize (e.g., to save energy). The automation devices may also be connected to a central hub or control unit within the building.
Additionally, voice control devices, such as hands-free voice speakers (e.g., Amazon Echo®) are available that provide for voice interaction with a voice service provider to initiate various actions or tasks (e.g., ordering a pizza). Usually, such voice control devices are placed in and used within a home or business. In other cases, the voice control devices can be portable (e.g., Amazon Tap®). In either case, the voice control devices receive a voice command from a user and that command is then processed by a voice service provider. The voice control devices may also provide for interaction with automation devices to allow a user to command various automation tasks to occur in response to his or her voice command (e.g., order goods and services, command to turn on lights, or adjust a thermostat setpoint).
Automation devices can prove useful for control of actions in a home or business and can provide many benefits, such as convenience and energy savings. While voice control devices can provide for voice commands that can be used to initiate tasks or actions both inside and outside the home or business, automation devices are generally limited to tasks and control within the building itself. Yet, currently available automation devices and voice control devices do not address needs for providing for automatic control and actions associated with a specific geographic area or scheduled events. Accordingly, there is an increasing need for solutions to conveniently facilitate control of actions dependent upon geographic areas and/or events.